The National Conference (NC) is gearing up to nominate a local leader from Kupwara district for the Baramulla constituency in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, slated for April and May 2024.
According to sources familiar with the matter speaking to Kashmir News Service (KNS), the party is considering selecting one of two former local ministers to contest the Lok Sabha elections from the Baramulla constituency. However, a final decision is yet to be made and is expected in the coming days.
Addressing speculations, sources dismissed the notion that NC Vice-President Omar Abdullah would vie for the north Kashmir seat, suggesting instead that he is poised to run for the central Kashmir Lok Sabha seat.
“There has been extensive discussion on the issue, and party leaders have submitted a list of candidates to the high command for all three seats in the Kashmir valley,” the sources stated.
They emphasized the consensus among party workers in Kupwara district to field a local candidate, taking into consideration the dynamics of local political competition.
“Party VP Omar Abdullah is prepared to contest from central Kashmir, while former Ganderbal district minister Mian Altaf is slated to run for the south Kashmir seat,” they added.
Clarifying the situation regarding the north Kashmir seat, they indicated that either Chowdhary Mohammad Ramazan or Mir Saifullah would likely be the party’s candidate, with discussions ongoing and a decision expected soon.
The Baramulla seat, with 11.47 lakh voters, spans across 16 assembly segments in four districts: Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora, and Budgam.
